Golden Knights 6, Penguins 2: Stone's Three-Point First Period

October 17, 2026 - Paradise - Rasmus Andersson snapped one from the right circle at 1:06. Noah Hanifin scored at 4:02. Mark Stone redirected a power-play shot off his skate at 17:46, and video kept it. T-Mobile Arena was 3-0 before Pittsburgh had a first-period answer.

The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2. Vegas is 8-2-0, seven of the last eight, six goals for the second straight game. Pittsburgh is 3-5-1, three straight losses. Shots were 24-19 Pittsburgh. Trevor Connelly, Noah Hanifin, Sergei Murashov, and Ville Koivunen are not seeded on AthX player pages, so those names stay unlinked.

Stone had a goal and two assists in the first. The NHL recap said that followed a natural hat trick in the third period of Thursday's 6-2 win over Calgary. Connelly had a goal and an assist. Mitch Marner and Jack Eichel each had two assists. Eichel played his 700th NHL game. Adin Hill stopped 22 of 24. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin scored. Tommy Novak had two assists. Murashov stopped 14 of 19.

Two from the back end, then a skate

Eichel found Andersson driving the net for 1-0. Eichel then slid one to Hanifin on the weak side for 2-0. Ryan Craig told NHL.com the spacing and timing on those rushes force the other side to make a decision. Eichel said the defensemen got involved, which is what you want when you already have a lead.

Pittsburgh took tripping at 15:57. Stone redirected Connelly at 17:46. Mitch Marner the other helper. Dan Muse told NHL.com you cannot put yourself in a hole like that against this team. Erik Karlsson said being down 3-0 after one is a tough battle to win.

Crosby tipped Novak on the power play at 5:54 of the second. The Associated Press recap on ESPN put Crosby at 657 career goals, past Brendan Shanahan for 14th. 3-1. Connelly answered at 7:05, roofing a rush shot. Andersson told NHL.com he finds the right spot. The NHL recap said Connelly leads rookies with four goals. Shea Theodore one-timed Brayden McNabb at 11:17. 5-1 after two.

Malkin in the crease, Howden from a takedown

Malkin poked a loose puck in at 4:43 of the third with Hill out of position. Koivunen and Novak the assists. The NHL landing and the NHL.com recap credit Malkin. The Associated Press recap on ESPN credited Koivunen with the goal. The box is Malkin.

Brett Howden was awarded an empty-net goal at 17:47 when he was taken down on a breakaway. 6-2. Marner's point streak is six games (one goal, eight assists), the NHL recap said. Muse told NHL.com the group has to dig in. Murashov said Vegas is smart with the puck and looks for high-skill chances, and that you still have to bring your own game.

Pittsburgh visits Utah on Monday. Vegas hosts Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

AthX Engine on a second straight 23.20

AthX Engine (our projection and scoring system) scored Stone at 10.10 (a goal, two assists, one shot, the power-play bonus). Connelly is 8.20. Marner is 6.10. Andersson is 5.70. Novak is 5.60. Eichel is 5.50. Hanifin is 5.30. Hill's win, 22 saves, and two goals against land at 9.40. Murashov is -0.40 on five goals against.

Vegas's team line is 23.20. Pittsburgh's 2-6 is 0.00 at the floor.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay for an 8-2 club that just scored six twice, and for a Penguins trip that is 0-3. They are not the same number.

Track Stone, Eichel, Crosby, and both clubs on the marketplace.

*Sources: AP recap (ESPN), ESPN box score, NHL.com recap, NHL.com scoreboard, ESPN NHL scoreboard. AthX Engine fantasy points scored from NHL gamecenter box 2026020134. Information only; not financial advice.*